2. Inland Empire (2006)
Now we are getting to the bookends of Lynch's film career. Lynch's last major theatrical work, clocking in at around 3 hours Inland Empire follows the same WTF feeling of Lost Highway and Muholland Drive as we follow the movie within a movie descent into madness of an actress (Laura Dern) who believes her latest film project is cursed. There is a plethora of cameos from actors of previous Lynch films and I believe this was entirely shot on HDD video, which was just starting to make waves and without an actual finished script, a lot being just 'free-wheeling' scene construction on that day. Of special note, just in case anyone was thinking Lynch was perhaps becoming predictable in his WTF ideas, that in an effort to promote the film, Lynch made appearances with a cow and a placard bearing the slogan "Without cheese there would be no
Inland Empire". Make of that what you will. It also bore some teasers of his
fascination with Rabbits, a theme he would follow up in later years in his backyard studio. Yet again, critical acclaim and ticket sales were mixed. In a world of increasing predictable money makers, Lynch has proven to be a risky investment for any studio willing to distribute his films.